Els almost only player not ready to give up

Shooting the best third round of the day - a 3-under-par 68 - had Els thinking. Now, if only the wind would howl, Els was beginning to believe he might - just might - be back in the U.S. Open.

"Tiger has played in no wind up to this point. Let's see what he does now," Els said.

It wasn't much, but it was a glimmer of hope. And, with Woods in the midst of his third round playing Pebble Beach's ocean holes at that point Saturday, it was the only hope Els had.

Unfortunately for Els, the wind didn't howl enough, actually subsiding as Woods played his way in.

And when Woods was done, Els had the dubious distinction of facing the biggest third-round lead in the 100-year history of the U.S. Open.

It was time to shift to a backup plan for Sunday.

"I've got to shoot the same score or maybe better and see what he does," Els said. "I'd like to think I'm still half in it."

Els might be the only one who thinks he's still got a chance to make up 10 shots on the best player in the world with the U.S. Open title at stake.

But Els is a two-time Open champion, and this is Pebble Beach.

"I have to believe that anything can happen," the South African said. "You can put up some big, big numbers out there."

Els leapfrogged half the field Saturday with the only round under 70 among the 63 players who survived the cut.

It came on a day when Pebble Beach played at its toughest, with hard greens and winds gusting for a time in the afternoon.

Els parred the first three holes, then sunk an 85-yard sand wedge shot that jumpstarted his round on the fourth hole. He added a birdie at No. 6, then battled back after bogeys on seven and eight to get back to 2 over for the tournament.

"It's probably one of the best rounds I played in major golf considering the circumstances," he said.

Though Woods showed little signs of cracking after coming back from a triple bogey on the third hole, Els needed to only look at his playing partner, Colin Montgomerie, to see what Pebble can do at a moment's notice.

Montgomerie, Europe's best player, went 9 over in a stretch of six holes and finished with a 79.

"Who knows about this place," Els said. "I played with one of the world's best players today and he had three bad holes and shot 79. Anything can happen out here."

Els acknowledged Woods' mastery of both Pebble Beach and the Open, though he pointed out that Woods had the advantage of playing at times when the conditions were most benign.

That seemed to be true again Saturday, as the wind calmed just when Els needed it the most and Woods cruised in.

"I don't want to sound like a crybaby, but that's the way I see it," Els said. "But he is the best player in the world."

Els went head-to-head with Woods once already this year, when Woods beat him with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff in the Mercedes Championship.

He would like nothing better than to have some more chances.

"I haven't had enough of those run-ins with him," Els said. "I'd like to get some more."